From the Depths
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: [Test story.] When the Autobots find a damaged mech locked in stasis, they of coarse help him. But what exactly did they get into with this aquatic mecha, and why is his systems so advanced?
1. tester start

**Test story**

The large oval shaped, red optics narrowed as the new mech stood his ground in the training area. He was staring in a slightly unnervingly, unflinching way at the two larger front liners, no taller then Jazz this mech was a full three heads shorter than them. Though for the first time both Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had an warning flag go up in their processors about this silent mech. Not enough to stop their plans, not while having just a few nano kliks with the officers out of the room, leaving the 'grunts' alone with this strange beast mode mech.

The minibots where watching, with either keen interest or wide optics, Bluestreak having faltered in his conversation with Hound. Sideswipe grinned, intending on taking full advantage of Ratchet, for once, not being around the new comer. "Come one, just a round." He said, and then pushed, "Just say if you don't want to spar."

Hound frowned, his armor flaring at that, everyone knew perfectly well that the new mech _couldn't_ talk right now. only low sounds that seems to be coming for his beast mode or unhealthy sounding growling from internal systems. He stood up taller and was about to intervene when the long flexible tail snapped like a whip. The blue and silver mech tilted flair out his wing like fins and tilted his head and arched an optic ridge in half invitation and half challenge.

For a mech that couldn't talk, he sure could get his point across.

It was just enough that the twins couldn't resist and advanced into the sparing circle, Sunstreaker growled, both in his throat and in the chest as he moved to the right and Sideswipe to the left. When this mech didn't move still with the clear threats of the two, he was either a better bluffer then the gold mech's bother, or just stupid. Surely this mech couldn't think he could last long against _them?_

Sideswipe eyed the new mech's exposed back, and the odd sucker fishy things that was always stuck to the back of the blue fin-wings. For the first time Sideswipe saw that the things' optics were brightly glowing and had the sudden impression he was being watched. It was a split second before he and Sunstreaker were moving that the red mech realized the fishy things were drones, and the blue mech was watching him through the drones, as well as the fact that Ratchet and Prowl were back in the doorway.

The blue mech ducked, flexing his wings to shield a grasping hand from Sunstreaker, the gold fingers siding on the wing. The tail wrapping around Sideswipe's supporting knee proved to be prehensile and much stronger then it looked.

And then the blue mech was moving much faster then he had thus far. Well able to use his beast mode kibble to his advantage, the mech also was moving in the sure way of one having been through training, law enforcement training as well as real world application and modification on that training.

First Sunstreaker hit the ground, then Sideswipe with both energy bonds holding the mechs' wrists behind their backs, as well as a stasis cuff on one of their forearms to keep the two down. In the fallowing silence the long, prehensile tail tapped Sunstreaker on the head to make him look up.

Depth Charge gave a soft growling sound, even if it would make Ratchet twitch again, but he shook the tail tip at the front liner. The mech wasn't an easy one to intimidate, or to try again. He looked back up at Prowl to see of the black and white still wanted to 'go it slow' in testing the manta mech's fighting skills.


	2. In the Past, just a little sleep

**Queen's notes**- Wow… that was a lot of feedback really fast for my test. O,o' not sure how speedy this will be for updates, as I have a few things I'm working on, but here you guys go! Sorry if it's a little rough, but this is what I got from the muse, and keep in mind there's no plot as of yet for this story. I suppose this could be a transition chapter of the story. Getting from post-Beast Wars to 'modern' times.

**From the Depths**

In the Past... just a little sleep...

It was the long years of silence that had helped the most. Isolation from others that was forced, but not in a malevolent way. It was not like how the mech had to keep himself away, from friends, his eldest and long since grown sparkling back on Cybertron, former brothers in arms even. All to keep the green optic demon away from them.

Venting air heavily, feeling a gargle down at the base of the venting system, Depth Charge gave himself a shake to purge the excess salt water out. He made a note to get a good fresh water soaking as he looking over the islands he now called home. It wasn't tropics exactly, but close enough to have warm waters most of the time, with healthy waters for his new charges, as well as himself.

After a long, lone time of a few million local years, where he could lower his guard by increments at a time. He watched this world shutter and grow, evolving around him as the Transmetal frame itself grew slowly along with it. The organic natives rose and fell, rose and divided into several possibilities, but as he knew, only one rose to dominance.

Depth Charge glanced back and down to be sure one of his new charges hadn't snuck up and were in danger of being sat on. It seemed to be a universal trait of the young of any kind, Cybertronian or human sparklings to be able to appear where they shouldn't be. Finding it clear, the mech made himself comfortable, angling his wings back as the long tail flicked and swayed, the end making a tack in the earth. For an mega cycle, about two and half hours he didn't move much, now and then some of his beast mode kibble, or his fingers would flex and relax as he thought.

That long time alone had been good for him, the mech realized it now as it had given Depth Charge the chance to come to terms with all that had happened in his life. More so that that came from Omicron. From the wilds creatures of that world, to the pirates that raided, and then to Protoform X. His hunts and then the Beast Wars and the new Rampage... and his living, stasis locked ancestors.

More than once, before the humans, before taking up his first profession of Guardian again, had Depth Charge walked the halls of the _Ark_. In fact the Maximal had spent most of his time in a 'small' bay, in the first few dozen vorns, gathering energon when he could (though having to resort to his conversion tank in beast mode for fuel more often than not), but every scrap of Maximal technology left behind. From the computers to the alloys, then finding a place that he could store, and set up a comfortable, for him, and functional base of sorts away from the _Ark_.

That had been these islands, the second largest had a natural cave system, but he had waited until the time where humans where just starting to explore their world in wooden crafts that Depth Charge fully migrated everything out of the Autobot ship. Almost shameless in taking what supplies he dared, nothing critical but to help keep an optic on the soon to be Autobot and Decepticon activities.

Then, Depth Charge became a protector again. The humans that had made it to his islands, on their own power or with a little aide to a few here and there, needed to be protected, as well as taught. The blue and silver mech was by no means and expert on several human subjects to start with, nor was he now, but he knew enough to nudge the humans in the right direction. Getting 'his' human charges to not over fish, to grow their own foods, save rain waters.

The mech had never out right denied being a god, as some of the organics started to see him. An understandable thing to happen, but he always held firm to being a Guardian... as well as he could. That outlook had been useful at first, but now he gently pushed it aside, but expected the loyalty still offered. Seeing each generation loose more and more fear of him started the mech feeling… almost happy really. He did notice the nightmares and more horrific memories didn't come as often, though they would likely always haunt him.

But Depth Charge knew what was reality and what was memory, now that he had peace and Rampage was no more (_Hopefully_, some tiny voice in the back of his mind whispered).

Looking to the now well established village-town more inland on the island, then to the sheltered bay before him, Depth Charge rose. It should be safe enough for him to get a good, long recharge. Let his systems finish repairing his voice, with no CR chambers it was the agonizingly slow road for some systems to be fixed. As he walked to the well hidden, underground chambers, the mech almost stopped as a small weight pounced on his tail.

Glancing back, he rumbled a low, mock growl at the human girl that was holding the end of his tail. He curled it around the giggling child to lift up and around, then drop into his waiting hands. Willing now to indulge the youngling in a cuddle before recharge.

This was the last day the villagers saw their protector awake. Though the girl returned the next morning from their sacred caverns, where the great manta's den was, he did not. It took a full generation to grasp that he was in a much deeper healing sleep than ever before. That lead to human imagination going wild of what the 'god' had been fighting under the waves. Over time, speculation turned to campfire stories, that turned into myths, that turned to traditions and belief.

In the ages that held true, with the living, if 'sleeping' stasis locked mech as proof of those stories. The natives of those islands not only protected the secret of the mech's existence, but wanted to prove to him when he woke that they had honored what he taught them. That they protected their freedom, as well as kept their islands and the surrounding waters healthy. Favoring trades of craftsmanship of drift woods and shells, sometimes the occasional sea born treasure of pearls to desired art.

They were well able to turn ocean 'debris' into jewelry by the start of the modern age. Such as dead coral and even the delicate inner ear bones of caught fish. Now and then a dead whale would wash onto one of the outter ring of islands and if fresh, wouldn't go to waste, but if it was... rather ripe, then left for the scavengers until the bones could be harvested. The myths and ledges of the great manta, but never the truth, spread as their interactions with the outside world grew. At first they refused the oil-fuels, but unexpectedly helped pioneered solar energy when it came.

That seemingly sudden ingenuity with clean renewable energies was what drew the attention of other mechs, once awakened from their own stasis induced rests.

As Decepticons started nosing around, the natives of the islands were seemingly far more incensed at the intrusion than normal the snoops found. Getting the inkling that something was going on there.

However, it was a chance find by Sideswipe, when under water as he finished chasing off the last Decepticon, that the Maximal was found.

* * *

**Queen's added notes**- Thank you everyone that reviewed, Favorited and put an alert on this, even though there was a chance it wouldn't be updated. I will try to respond to all reviews I get.

_ThemSoundWaves_-

I'm glad you liked the tester, and yes it was short because I wasn't sure if I was continuing.

_Trickster91_

I agree, there's not many stories of Depth Charge [he's one of my top favorites, if not my favorite transformer], and fewer I found that don't just portray him as a 'I must hunt and kill X and scrap anyone that gets in the way.' His character is wonderfully complex, as well as being a former Guardian\Law enforcement it seems a lot of people forgot, or don't know how habits and instincts to protect others don't just leave.

_Zanza Flux_

Thank you! I hope you like this and likely other [if slow] chapters. Ah, yes…spelling… my mortal enemy… I don't have an editor [they keep poofing on me] so I'll try and catch as many typos as I can.

_Autobot Phoenix_

O_o' er, okay… spazzy some sweetie? It's good to see you again!

_Gust 1 ['SS']_

Okay...

_Guest 2 ['gg']_

Thank you

...O_o' what's with the repeated two letters ?

_siri pax_

Well, here you go, I'm glad you liked the tester


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